This invention relates in general to urine drainage systems for incontinent males and, more specifically, to an improved external catheter system having improved resistance to leakage.
With advanced age, disease, nerve damage or the like, people sometimes lose the ability to control the flow of urine. There may be a gradual leakage of urine with an occasional sudden heavy flow of urine.
Attempts have been made to drain the urine both with internal catheters extending into the urethra and with external catheters which (for males) includes a sheath surrounding the penis and connected to a drain line to convey urine to a receptacle.
Internal catheters function well for short periods, but are too likely to cause infections or other problems in the bladder or urinary tract to permit long-term use.
External catheters have been found to be useful where a slow, steady urine flow occurs. But many problems occur where the urine flow is irregular, which is the usual case. If the sheath is not tight, seepage is likely to occur with resulting embarrassing odors and clothing stains. A very tight sheath may cause pain during involuntary erections. Where there is a sudden large flow or "burst" of urine, the entire sheath may be forced off of the penis causing a spillage of a large quantity of urine.
The straps used with some devices to hold the sheath in a place are uncomfortable and likely to fail. Also, a sudden large urine flow exceeding the short-term capacity of the drain line is likely to back up, expand the sheath and leak out the top.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved external catheters for males which overcome these problems.